Page 109 of Derecho

I choked on my water. “What?”

“Did you get to tell her how you’re feeling about everything? Her, Reid, the future you want? Did she freak out or is everything…good?”

“Oh.” I laughed, wiping the water off my chin. “Yeah. It’s good. More than good. I told her again that I love her and Reid, and I want them to be here, for good. Here. With me. If she’d have me.”

“And?”

“Seems like both Calloway sisters won’t be Calloways for long.”

Beau laughed, his hand clamping down on my shoulder. “I’m so happy for you. Lainey…man, she’s one hell of a spitfire, but it seems like that’s exactly what you need.”

“It is. She sees me better than I see myself sometimes.”

Beau nodded, his hand reaching back into his pocket. “I can’t wait to listen to Birdie freak out—in a happy way—over this. Oh, that number left a voice mail…”

“By all means,” I said as I gestured to the phone.

I took another gulp of water, my eyes scanning the trees in the distance.

“Oh, fuck.” Beau shook his head.

“What?”

“The donor showed up to meet with Birdie and Lainey, and somehow they’re all stuck in the garage together right now. Dad, too.”

“What do you mean stuck in the garage?” I asked, grabbing my cane as I got to my feet and followed my brother into the house.

“I don’t know. Birdie just said they were stuck in the garage and we needed to get up there to let them out.”

“Then let’s fucking go.”

I slipped my feet into my sneakers and beat Beau out the door.

“I’m driving. Lainey’s probably shaken up since she has Reid. I want to drive them home.”

“Yeah, of course. I’ll get a ride back with Birdie. Thank God Jess has Juniper.”

A minute later, we made it to the turn that would take us up to the safe house.

“Holy fuck, what is that?” I asked, my heart clenching painfully in my chest.

“Smoke. It’s fucking smoke. Shit! Drive faster, Lach.”

He didn’t have to tell me twice. A fire on the ranch could be devastating. We were teetering on the edge of drought season, and even with the storms that had been rolling through lately, the land was parched.

But that wasn’t my worry. Because the smoke was coming right from where Birdie’s safe house was located.

I heard Beau barking into the phone, but my mind was solely focused on getting to Lainey and Reid. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Beau grab the oh-shit handle, and I pushed the gas pedal even harder toward the floor. The drive at that point should have taken us another ten minutes, but we made it there in six.

I hated that it took even that long, but Beau and Birdie had picked that spot for the safe house because it was so remote.

“Fuck!” I slammed the breaks in front of the house. Flames were licking out the side of the house, smoke billowing around back.

“The fire department is coming! Help me with the door!”

“Lainey!” I yelled, getting to the garage door as fast as I could. “Lainey!!”

“Here, help me lift the door!”